


lost//found

by pinchmoonlight



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Getting Together, I can't think of a summary so take this quote instead!, I don't know how tags work, Love Confessions, M/M, No Proofreading We Die Like Men, buddie with a hint of angst, but there is a happy ending which is something I never write so yay!, or alot of angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-19
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:55:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24275455
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinchmoonlight/pseuds/pinchmoonlight
Summary: "loving and losing:different only by one letter and a million degrees of pain."- jessica katoff
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 71





	lost//found

**Author's Note:**

> this has been something I've been working on since the night that Eddie Begins premiered. it's one of the first fics I've written since the beginning of November last year and I'm super proud of how it came out even thought I had a hell of a time writing it lol. so I hope you enjoy the final product as much as I do!

“EDDIE!”

The name tears its way out of Buck’s throat in a scream as he scrambles across the ground, sinking his hands into the muddy Earth beneath his knees.

“NO! No, No! Eddie! EDDIE!”

He can hear Bobby calling for him, can feel hands on his shoulders but he ignores them, continues frantically pulling at the mud that only ends up replaced by more and more and more. He sobs Eddie’s name again as Bobby finally gets a grip on him and yanks him backwards and Buck has no other option but to go with his Captain. He’s upright for a split second before him and Bobby go falling backwards onto the ground again and Buck doesn’t have to strength in him to get back up. He collapses back onto Bobby’s legs, the full reality of what just happened washing over him as he lay there, face upturned to the sky as the tears that fall from his eyes mix with the rain that is pelting down onto his skin. Thunder rumbles and it drowns out the sob that rips its way from deep within Buck’s chest.

**“ _This is Diaz. Can anybody hear me? This is Eddie. I’m still.. I’m alive._**

**_I’m still alive down here. I’M STILL ALIVE DOWN HERE!_ ”**

**“ _Anyone?_ ”**

There are voices all around Buck, some questioning what’s going to happen and others that are shouting orders. There are two voices that are very close to him and he thinks they’re saying his name but he can’t focus on them, can’t rip his gaze from the ground a few feet away. Hands are on his face, tapping lightly against his cheek and then a face appears in his line of vision.

“Buck, can you hear me?”

Chimney.

Buck’s blinks slowly, nodding his head as he meets Chim’s eyes. He can see relief in them as his friend smiles slightly, tapping him on the cheek again before he backs away. He registers that he’s still laying across Bobby’s legs and he winces, carefully sliding off and onto his knees in the mud. He hears movement behind him and then Bobby’s voice fills his ears.

“Come on, Buck. You gotta get up.” And no, Buck doesn’t think he does, doesn’t think he can. He doesn’t have the strength to lift himself from of the ground as the rain soaks him to the bone. If he sits here long enough, maybe the ground would open up and swallow him whole, allow him to be with Eddie again.

He hears Bobby sigh and then there are hands on both of his arms, heaving him up from his knees to stand on his feet. He leans into the person on his left as they lead him away and he doesn’t even have the will to fight against them. As Buck’s lead towards the house, he can feel the crack in his heart splitting further open as the distance between him and the place where Eddie is buried grows larger.

They make it inside the house and Hayden’s mother, “ _Joy_ ” his brain supplies helpfully, is there to meet them, eyes wide as she looks between Bobby and Buck.

Buck wonders where her son is. She almost lost him today. She should be with him right now.

Buck barely registers that she’s talking to the two of them, catching a question of “what will you do now?” and “is he going to be okay?”. Buck assumes she asking about Eddie but the look she shoots him tells him he’s wrong.

Bobby, and Buck is so gratefully for him being by his side at this moment, offers Joy a reassuring smile. Buck can see that it doesn’t reach his eyes like it usually would. He’s worried and that makes Buck’s heart thump painfully against his ribcage. He’s always hated when Bobby looks worried.

“He’s in a bit of shock is all.” Bobby’s hand tightens where it’s locked around Buck’s upper arm, a gentle squeeze that is helping to keep Buck grounded. “Is there somewhere he could go for a minute to collect himself?”

Joy points up the staircase behind her. “First door on the left.”

Bobby thanks her and Joy nods before wandering off into a side room, most likely to check on her children. Buck watches her go, hopes that Hayden is doing okay. Bobby grabs his attention with another squeeze to his arm.

“Come on, kid.”

Buck allows himself to be maneuvered up the staircase and into the first door on their left. Bobby flicks on the switch and it makes Buck wince as light floods the small bathroom. Bobby leads him over to the tub situated against the far wall and sits him on the edge. His captain disappears but comes back a moment later with a damp washcloth in hand and offers it to Buck who accepts it wordlessly. He assumes he’s should be wiping the grime from his face but he doesn’t move, can’t do more than just stare at the cloth that’s hanging loosely from his fingers.

“Buck.” Bobby’s voice breaks through the quiet. When Buck doesn’t respond, Bobby squats down before the younger man and places his hand on Buck’s shoulder. “Evan, look at me.” The use of his first name grabs his attention. No one ever uses Buck’s first name unless it’s for a professional purpose or he’s in trouble. Buck wonders if Bobby’s mad at him for making a scene, letting his emotions get the best of him while he was on the job. When he lifts his eyes to find Bobby’s, there is only concern where Buck is anticipating anger. It breaks something within Buck.

“I can’t-” His voice comes out choked and fresh tears well up in his already red-rimmed eyes. “I can’t lose him, Bobby.”

“I know, kid. And you aren’t going to because we will get him back.” Bobby squeezes his shoulder and Buck can almost believe him. He so desperately wants to believe him but it is painfully obvious how the words ‘I promise’ are left off of the end of Bobby’s sentence. They are going to find Eddie; everyone is going to make damn sure of that no matter how long it takes them. But at the end of their search, the members of the 118 will find out whether they have to prepare themselves for a celebration or a funeral.

There can be no promises made here tonight.

Buck thinks he’s going to be sick.

Bobby sighs almost like he can hear the thoughts running through Buck’s mind.

“Get yourself cleaned up and meet us back downstairs, okay?” Buck just nods his head in agreement. Bobby squeezes his arm once more before he’s standing and making his through the door. The other man turns to shoot Buck one more concerned look before a voice calls for him downstairs and then he’s gone.

It takes a minute for Buck to finally heave himself up from the edge of the tub and walk over to the sink. Instead of wiping his face he sets the washcloth down on the counter with shaking hands, swallows around the lump in his throat that’s sore from screaming Eddie’s name.

Eddie. His partner, his best friend, the love of his life. The man who has held Buck’s heart since the day they removed a live grenade from a man’s leg in the back of an ambulance and lived to tell the tale.

“ _You can have my back any day._ ”

“ _Yeah. Or. You know, you could have mine._ ”

“ _Deal._ ”

They’ve been inseparable for almost two years now; their lives are so interwoven that they wouldn’t know how to fully function without being by each other’s sides. If they can’t get him out, if Eddie doesn’t survive through tonight, Buck’s certain his entire world will just cease to be.

The damn finally shatters and it leaves Buck gasping for air like he’s drowning.

“Oh god.” Buck staggers backwards against the wall, his legs threatening to give out from underneath him. “Eddie. Eddie, please you have to be alive. Please, just- I can’t do this without you. I need you.” Buck presses his hand to his mouth, muffling the sobs that threaten to spill out. His chest is tight as he cries, body sagging until he’s sitting in a crouch. His body is wracked with sobs and he realizes he’s shaking as he wraps his arms around himself and holds on tightly.

**______________ **

Buck doesn’t know how long he sits there. Could be minutes, hours, days or weeks. He wonders if he were to go downstairs right now, enough time would have passed for them to have rescued Eddie. This whole nightmare could be over with by now.

He shakes his head at the thought.

It’s only wishful thinking.

He draws in a shuddering breath as he pushes himself back up and his legs groan in protest from being in the same position for so long. His bad leg twinges as he takes a step forward and it sharpens his thoughts as he moves to the sink. He spares a glance at the mirror and cringes because yeah, he looks like absolute shit. His face is streaked with dried mud and tear tracks and the blue of his eyes is dulled by the pain and fear and possibility of loss that has settled in his heart.

Tearing his gaze away from the mirror he gets to work scrubbing his face.

He needs to get himself under control. He’s no help to his team, to Eddie, in his current state. So he builds up the damn once again, stores everything he’s feeling behind walls that aren’t the sturdiest but will hold long enough for him to do what he has to.

Buck casts one last look in the bathroom mirror, his eyes now filled with determination and hope.

Tonight is not going to be the night that he loses the man that he loves.

Buck heads out of the bathroom and makes his way down to rejoin the others. He’s almost made it to the bottom when Bobby comes walking past the stairs from Buck’s right. Buck hurries to catch up with him.

“Cap, we gotta go dig.”

Buck falls into step with Bobby as he leads the way outside onto the front porch. Chimney is already out there waiting and Hen joins them a few seconds later.

“We don’t have a drill, Buck, and even if we could get another one up here, their access road is blocked.”

“Okay, then well we dig by hand.” Chim gives him a look.

“Not with all this rain. We could trigger another collapse.”

“How long can he last down there?” Buck looks at the USAR Commander, can feel that new found determination slowly being picked away at.

“We’re talking 30 feet of wet earth coming right down on top of him.”

30 feet.

He can feel Bobby’s eyes on him, watching. He looks at Bobby and then Chim, back to Bobby as the worst thought possible rears its ugly head.

“Wait. You all think he’s dead.”

The chill that spreads across his body has nothing to do with the rain or the temperature of the night. His heart is pounding so hard against his ribcage it feels like it’s trying to tear its way from his chest.

Bobby is the first one to speak up, to reassure. Chimney and Hen aren’t far behind him.

“Nobody thinks that.”

“We just don’t know how to get him out.”

“Nobody’s giving up one him. Nobody. We’re gonna find him.”

There feels like there’s a weight in his chest, pushing down all threads of hope that Buck’s been clinging to. He just wants to be able to believe them.

**_\------------_ **

“Okay, listen up. Buck here is gonna get some thermal cams. We are going to fan out and do a grid search. Chimney is gonna have oxygen tanks and warming blankets standing by. I wanna start at the well and go outward in concentric circles.”

Bobby’s talking but Buck’s barely listening to a word he’s saying. They’ve come up with a game plan, they aren’t going to give up on finding Eddie but as time ticks by, there’s a chance this becomes a recovery mission instead of search and rescue.

Buck’s eyes are focused on the ground where the hole Eddie had descended down used to be. When he had tackled Bobby out of the way, Buck had turned his back on that hole, on Eddie. It’s his fault this has happened. He couldn’t get Eddie more time to rescue the boy, he couldn’t stop him from cutting his line. He couldn’t stop him from being buried alive, swallowed up the Earth that’s solid and unyielding under his feet. Buck feels hollow, a shell of who he was that morning.

Buck thinks back to seeing Christopher and Carla at the station before they left for this call, the look on Eddie’s face when he saw his son. He thinks back to how happy they had looked, Chris calling his father a hero. The exasperation and just a hint of sadness on Eddie’s face when Buck had asked if Eddie ever wore his Silver Star. Eddie’s agreement to go to Christopher’s school to talk about the medal, the reasoning behind how he received it. Christopher’s excitement as a large grin had spread across his face. Buck thinks about how they might have to tell Christopher that his father isn’t going to be able to make his presentation on Friday.

What he wouldn’t give to start this day over again, to be the one trapped underground while Eddie was safe and sound up here.

“LAPD copters are on the way. We’ll use their thermal imaging to scan this wider area. Try to pick up Diaz’s heat signature.” The USAR agent speaks up again and Buck flinches at the use of Eddie’s last name.

Diaz.

“ _People ever call you Diaz?_ ”

“ _Not if they want me to respond._ ”

A commotion across the circle from where Buck and the rest of the 118 are standing catches his attention and when he looks up, the firefighters are parting to let a figure through. Buck’s breath catches in his throat as the man steps out of their shadows and into the sea of floodlights around them.

“Won’t be easy.” Eddie chuckles raggedly as he stumbles forward. Buck wonders if he’s hallucinating.

“Eddie?” Bobby’s voice cuts through the night, so full of relief and sounding like he’s on the verge of tears. Buck knows that if Bobby can see him too that means Buck isn’t hallucinating, that this is real and not some messed up dream.

“Eddie!” Buck finally finds his voice as he yells his best friend’s name, a wide smile breaking out across his face as his vision blurs.

“I’m pretty cold.”

“Eddie!” Buck watches as the other man makes it a few more steps before he his legs finally give out and he crashes to the ground. The 118 are on him in the blink of an eye, four pairs of hands grabbing at the battered, bruised but very much alive body of a man they had all been preparing to mourn.

“Get him up, Buck.”

Eddie reaches out his hand and Buck grabs onto it, grounded with the warm weight of it and the realness of Eddie actually being there with them. With him.

Buck never wants to let go.

“Come on, Eddie.” Hen encourages as Buck wraps his other arm around Eddie’s back and they all work together to get him back on his feet.

“Hey.” Buck let’s out a breathless laugh as their eyes meet briefly and Eddie returns his smile. Hen wraps her arm around to pat at Eddie’s chest.

“Let’s get you checked out, buddy. So we can get you home.” Buck can hear the relief in Hen voice, see it written across her face when he spares a glance in her direction.

“I got a big date Friday.” Eddie huffs out. “I can’t miss it.”

Chimney is laughing somewhere next to Hen as they all stand there, the fifth member of their little family once again back in their arms. A giddy feeling has filled Buck from head to toe as they begin to lead Eddie away and Buck can’t help but laugh again as they maneuver is partner towards the ambulance.

**_\------------_ **

“I’m fine.”

Eddie’s been insisting the same thing since he had woken up an hour and a half ago.

And while his body temperature has risen and he doesn’t look like he’s on the brink of passing out anymore, Buck can see the way his hands are still trembling where they’re clenched on top of the blankets, the way his body shivers slightly under the florescent lights. “I just need to get home and see my kid.”

“I understand that, Mr. Diaz.” The doctor says yet again, the sympathy in her voice slowly being replaced with just a tinge of exasperation that makes Buck feel bad but at the same time makes him want to laugh. Eddie Diaz is a stubborn man but the doctor has taken it in stride. “But what I need you to understand is that your body went through a lot tonight and in no way are you strong enough to be home alone with just yourself and your nine year old son.”

Eddie opens his mouth to say something but Buck decides it’s time to step in and stop the next round of arguments before they begin.

“What if I were to stay with him?” Eddie’s doctor turns to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

“From what I heard from your Captain, Mr. Buckley, it seems you yourself underwent quite an ordeal this evening.” Buck can feel Eddie’s eyes on him, watching as the doctor’s words settle over the room. Buck shoots him a glance out of the corner of his eye but Eddie doesn’t look confused or questioning about what the doctor has said. He turns his eyes back to the doctor as she continues speaking. “The only reason I even allowed you to stay with Mr. Diaz was so that I could keep an eye on you as well.”

Buck tries not to wince as he thinks back to screaming Eddie’s name, digging his hands into unyielding mud, pleading for Eddie to just stay alive.

“Are you sure you would be able to watch over Mr. Diaz, his son and yourself after everything that has happened?”

And of course Buck is exhausted, not just physically but mentally and emotionally as well, but he knows that no matter how drained he is, his sole focus right now is Eddie.

“Without a doubt ma’am.” Buck sits up in his chair, squares his shoulder and levels the doctor with a steady look. “Eddie and his son’s safety and well-being are my number priority, always.”

The doctor stares at him for a long moment before she finally sighs.

“After another hour of observation, I will have the release forms drawn up and Mr. Diaz will be released into your care.”

“Thank you so much, Doctor.” Buck grins as the two of them shake hands. “You won’t regret it.”

“That’ll depend on if I see you boys in here again over the next 8 hours.” The doctor gathers up her clipboard, bidding a silent Eddie farewell before she takes her leave. As soon as the he hears the door click shut, Buck sags into his chair in relief. He can still feel Eddie looking at him but Buck figures they can deal with that later.

Right now, all he cares about is getting them home.

**_\------------_ **

Eddie’s discharge goes off without a hitch.

The paperwork is signed in minutes and Eddie, now changed into one of the extra sets of clothes Maddie had dropped off for them, is being loaded into a wheelchair and brought down to the exit where Buck’s Jeep is already parked, also curtsey of his sister with some help from Chimney.

Buck has to remember to thank the two of them again.

Once Eddie’s been settled into the passenger seat, Buck tosses all their belongings into the trunk before hopping into the driver’s seat. He starts the car and cranks up the heat until Eddie grumbles at him to turn it down but Buck can see how grateful he looks for the warmth. Smiling slightly, Buck backs out of the spot he’s in and heads towards the exit and out onto the main road. At this time of the morning there is little to no traffic and Buck is thankful that they will be home in a decent amount of time.

They ride in a comfortable silence for a good portion of the ride to Eddie’s house. Buck’s almost certain that Eddie’s fallen asleep until his voice fills the car.

“I saw the news report of the rescue. When the truck collapsed.”

Buck tenses at the confession, his hands gripping tightly onto the steering wheel. He had fallen asleep an hour or two after Eddie had been put in a room, hunched uncomfortably in the chair next to Eddie’s bed while the other had slept. Eddie must have woken up during his nap and found footage from the news crew that had been at the scene. That’s why Eddie hadn’t look confused about what the doctor had said to Buck.

“That must have been hard to watch.”

“Buck.” Eddie says and Buck almost turns his head to look at the other man but catches himself before he can. He can’t look over at Eddie who is sitting huddled in the passenger seat of Buck’s car looking smaller than Buck has ever seen him and manage to keep himself from breaking down. So he keeps his eyes on the road, biting down hard on the inside of his cheek as he turns onto the street leading into Eddie’s neighborhood.

“Buck.” Eddie tries again and Buck shakes his head.

Eddie Diaz truly is a stubborn man. Buck doesn’t understand how his doctor hadn’t released him sooner just to get him out of her hair.

“ _Evan_.”

They’ve known each other for almost two years and in that span of time, Eddie has never called Buck by his given first name before. Its use cracks at Buck’s heart and the walls are starting to crumble again and Buck really can’t deal with that topic of conversation right now. So he deflects.

“You cut your line.”

The sigh that passes Eddie’s lips indicates that he knows what’s Buck’s doing.

“You know why I had to do it.”

Of course Buck knows why he had to do it but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.

“That doesn’t take away from the fact that I was holding your life in my hands and then suddenly I wasn’t and no one knew the reason until we pulled up the line and saw it was cut.”

“So you’re mad at me then?”

“No, I’m not mad at you.”

“Then what?” A hand settles on Buck’s upper arm. “Buck, talk to me.”

They’ve reached the house and Buck pulls into the driveway, throwing his car into park before he cuts the engine. Buck unbuckles his seatbelt; Eddie removes the hand on his arm after a moment and does the same. Neither men move to get out of the car.

“I was terrified that I was going to lose you, Eddie.” Buck’s voice comes out choked, thick with the surge of emotions he’s been trying to suppress. He turns his face to look at Eddie, blue eyes finding brown as the first rays of sunlight begin to break through the clouds. “That I was going to have to watch Bobby tell your family that their son was gone. Watch as he told _your son_ that his father wasn’t going to be coming home to him anymore. That I was going to have to go to work every day without you there by my side.”

“You were never going to lose me.” Eddie’s reaching over, grabbing Buck’s hand in his. It reminds him of before, when Eddie had appeared through the crowd and everything was right in the world again. Buck holds onto him just as tightly as he had the first time. “When I thought about giving up, when I was so close to accepting that I was going to die down there I remembered that I had to fight to get back to Christopher because I swore I was never going to leave that kid alone in this world ever again.”

Eddie squeezes his hand, a soft smile on his face.

“I was also fighting to get back to you. Because I love you, Evan Buckley and Heaven or Hell couldn’t have me before I got the chance to tell you that.”

Buck’s not sure if he wants to laugh or cry. The sound that forces it’s way past his lips is a mixture of both.

“No, none of that.” Eddie leans forward, gently cupping Buck’s cheek and using his thumb to brush away a tear that’s fallen. “Everything is okay now, I promise.”

And last night when Bobby couldn’t make a promise to Buck, he hadn’t known what to do. The weight of the world had been bearing down on Buck’s shoulders then, suffocating him under the possibility of losing everything. But now, sitting here with Eddie’s hand clasped tightly in his as Eddie easily makes him this promise? Buck’s chest is tight for all the right reason; his heart so full of love for the man that’s sitting across from him. A man who he loves and who loves him back, alive and safe and looking so damn happy in the glow of the morning sun.

"God, I love you too." Buck laughs as he clutches onto Eddie tighter.

“Look at us. Waiting until one of us almost dies to confess our undying love for one another. If Hen or Chimney were here we’d never hear the end of it.”

“They would have called us both idiots.”

“They wouldn’t be wrong.”

“Oh, I know.”

Eddie laughs and the sound is so familiar and comforting, his smile so genuine and warm and Buck wants to lean over and kiss him.

So he does.

He shifts in his seat so he can lean over the center console, stopping just before his lips can touch Eddie’s.

“Is this okay?” He breathes into the space between them, blue eyes searching brown. Eddie bumps there noses together.

“More than.” And that’s all Buck needs before he’s surging forward, pressing his lips to Eddie’s in a gentle kiss. Buck’s eyes slip closed as Eddie uses the hand he has on Buck’s cheek to change the angle and deepen the kiss. Buck hums against his lips, brings his own free hand up to rest on Eddie’s jaw.

Buck feels like the final piece of his soul has slotted itself into a void that has been empty for such a long time. With Eddie’s lips pressed to his, the confession of their love lingering between them, Buck finally feels whole.

When they pull away to catch their breath, they don’t go far. Buck rests his forehead against Eddie’s, his eyes mapping the face of a man he can finally call his.

“I love you, Eddie Diaz.”

“I love you too.” Eddie’s thumb gently runs over his cheek and Buck leans into the touch. “Now let’s get inside because I need to hug my son and then I need to sleep for an entire week.”

Buck laughs and Eddie smiles at the sound of it.

**_\------------_ **

The minute Buck’s got the front door unlocked they are greeted with a very relived looking Carla. She glances down at their intertwined hands with a huff of laughter.

“Well it’s about damn time.” Is all she says before she’s pulling both men into a hug. Buck grins as he wraps his arm around her and he can hear Eddie chuckle as his arm comes around her other side. They stand there like that for a minute, Carla sniffling into Eddie’s shoulder until she pulls away.

“What am I going to do with the two of you?”

“You could try wrapping us in bubble wrap?” Buck suggests, fully anticipating the swat to the arm he receives as Carla glares at him.

Buck rubs at his arm. “I totally deserved that.”

Eddie laughs. “Yeah you did.”

“Don’t even, Diaz.” Carla turns her glare on Eddie. “You’ll get yours as well. I’m just saving it for when you don’t look seconds from falling asleep standing up.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Carla’s gaze softens as she looks at them, a fond smile pulling at her lips as she shakes her head.

“You must be eager to see Christopher after tonight.” She gestures at where Buck and Eddie’s hands hang between them. “And from the looks of this, I’m glad to know that I will be leaving him and his father in good hands.” Eddie chuckles as Buck blushes and it makes Carla laugh as she moves to collect her things. Buck takes the time to steer Eddie over to the couch, easing him into the corner with the assurance that he’s going to see Carla out. Eddie nods as he sinks into the cushions, mumbles something about thanking her as he waves him off. Buck jogs over just as Carla’s grabbing her keys from the hook.

“In case you didn’t hear, Eddie says thank you for being there for Chris tonight. We both really appreciate it.”

“That little boy has been through enough in his short lifetime. I had no plans of leaving his side until his father was here with him again.”

The reassurance makes Buck’s heart swell with love and admiration for the woman standing before him as he pulls her into another hug.

“Alright.” Carla pats him on the back before they separate again. “I am going to go home to see my husband before he leaves for work. You take care of those two, you hear me?”

“You don’t have to worry about them.”

“Oh, I know, Buckaroo.” She pats his chest. “Now go get your boys.”

Buck nods as he walks her out, leaning against the door as he watches her climb into her car. Carla waves and Buck returns it before he’s watching her drive off down the road, smiling to himself as he thinks over her words.

He backs into the house after Carla’s car has disappeared from view, closing the door and making sure it’s all locked up before he turns around and heads back over to the couch. Eddie’s in the same place as Buck left him, body leaning against the arm of the couch where he’s fast asleep. Buck feels bad for having to wake him up but he knows that sleeping in that position isn’t going to be kind on his already worn out body. So Buck makes his way over, shaking at Eddie’s shoulder lightly until the man opens his eyes.

“Come on, love. Let’s get you to bed.”

“Christopher.”

“Let me get you into bed first and then I’ll grab him.” Buck promises as he helps Eddie stand, wrapping his arm around the other man’s waist to keep him steady as he leads them down the hall. They reach Christopher’s room and from the way the door is cracked, Buck can see the little boy is out cold. He can feel Eddie straining to look into the room as well so he adjusts them until the man can see his son. Eddie smiles as his gaze falls on Christopher’s sleeping form and Buck’s heart jumps happily in his chest at the fondness he can see on his face.

They stand there for a minute or two before Buck is squeezing Eddie’s waist gently to get his attention.

“Come on.”

Eddie nods as Buck continues down the hall until they reach Eddie’s bedroom. Buck pushes the door open with his foot and then leads Eddie over to the bed, depositing him gently onto the mattress after he’s pulled the blankets back. He makes quick work of getting Eddie out of his shoes, opts to leave his socks on before he moves to take his jacket off. Buck helps Eddie to lay down and then he pulls the blankets up to the older man’s chin. Eddie snuggles down into the mattress and Buck leans over to press a kiss to his forehead. Eddie blinks up at him after he steps back, fighting to keep his eyes open as he peers out from underneath the blankets.

“I’ll be right back.”

Buck hustles out of the room and back down the hall where he quietly lets himself into Christopher’s room, moving carefully to avoid tripping on anything as he makes his way over to the sleeping boy.

“Chris.” Buck keeps his voice quiet as he sits on the end of the bed, rubbing gently at Christopher’s arm. “Chris, wake up buddy.”

Buck smiles as Christopher finally blinks awake, eyeing Buck in confusion as he gets his bearings.

“Bucky?”

“Yeah, buddy. It’s me.” Christopher reaches out for him and Buck leans forward to scoop the boy into his arms, cradling his sleepy form to his chest.

“Why are you here? Where’s dad?”

“Your dad’s not feeling well after work so he's already in bed and he wanted to know if you'd like to come and have a sleepover in there with him?”

Even in his half-awake state, Christopher is nodding eagerly. It makes Buck laugh as presses a kiss to the top of Christopher's head.

“Alrighty then. Hold on tight.”

Buck readjusts his grip on him before he stands from the bed with the boy held tightly in his grasp. He swipes Christopher’s glasses form his nightstand before he turns and makes his way out of the room and back down the hall.

When he gets to the other bedroom, Eddie has migrated to the middle of the bed, back to the door and from the rise and fall of his shoulders under the covers, Buck can tell he’s fast asleep again. Buck makes his way around to the side of the bed Eddie is facing and bends down, setting Christopher in front of him. Christopher scoots closer, wrapping his hand around Eddie’s arm. Eddie hums at the movement, his eyes opening to slits to see what’s caused it. When he spots Christopher, Eddie slides his arm around his son, pulling him against his chest. Buck watches as Christopher snuggles into his dad, pressing his little cheek into the fabric of Eddie’s t-shirt right over his heart. Buck’s heart swells at the sight, so full of love for the two of them. He stands there waiting, watches as Eddie’s breathing evens out as sleep pulls him under again and Christopher isn’t too far behind. He carefully extricates the blankets out from underneath Christopher’s body and tucks him in, pressing his lips to the boy’s hair in a gentle kiss

Buck makes his way to the other side of the bed, pulling his phone out as he goes to shoot off a quick group text to let everyone know that Eddie is home, reunited with Christopher and both are out like a light. He smiles as the words of endearment flood in from the others and he sends off a few heart emojis and a promise to keep them updated before he’s sends a quick message to Isabel and Pepa letting them know everything is fine and he will call later on in the afternoon with everything they need to know.

He sets his phone to silent before he sets it on the nightstand besides his wallet and keys. He quietly kicks off his shoes and shoves them under the bed and out of the way along with Eddie’s. Then he’s climbing onto the bed, slipping his arm around Eddie’s waist. Eddie hums in his sleep and shuffles closer until he’s pressed against Buck’s chest.

Buck props his head up with his other hand, eyes dance over Eddie’s face as he sleeps. He thinks back to what Eddie promised him in the car.

“ _Everything is okay now, I promise_.”

The early birds are chirping outside of the window, sunlight streaming in under the blinds as the world wakes up around them. But as Buck looks down at Eddie, face peaceful in sleep where it’s pressed into the wild curls at top of Christopher’s head, nothing outside of this room matters. Because right here in this moment? Buck truly knows that everything will be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> feedback and kudos are appreciated!  
> find me on tumblr!: evansbvckley


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